Comparison of two simple microaerobic atmospheres for cultivation of thermophilic campylobacters

A comparison of a modification of the spirit burn method and one based on the Fortner principle was carried out on 3474 faecal samples from patients with diarrhoea. Of the 96 isolates of Campylobacter, 47 showed equal abundance of growth, regardless of the method used. By using the spirit burn method, however, growth of 33 isolates was significantly increased, and 18 out of those 33 isolates grew only in the spirit burn method atmosphere. The spirit burn method is more effective than the one based on the Fortner principle, it is easy to perform, quick, and cheap.